Archive for July, 2005

Australia outlaws ‘Grand Theft Auto’

Associated Press

SYDNEY, Australia – Australian officials effectively banned the computer game “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” and ordered it removed from stores Friday because it contains hidden sex scenes that can be viewed with a special Internet download.

The Office of Film and Literature Classification said in a statement it had outlawed sales of the game by stripping it of its official classification after learning of the explicit content.

“Revocation of a classification means the computer game cannot be legally sold, hired, advertised or exhibited in Australia from the date the decision is made,” the statement said.

“Businesses that sell or hire computer games should remove existing stocks of this game from their shelves immediately,” said Des Clark, director of the government-funded classification board.

The game involves a main character seeking bloody vengeance on gang-filled streets, firing automatic weapons and picking up women along the way.

After downloading and installing a modification to the game – one of many “mods” available on Web sites maintained by video game enthusiasts – a new world opens up in which the girlfriends appear nude and engage in explicit sex acts, according to the modification’s author.

The classification board in October 2004 gave the game a MA15+ rating, meaning it could be sold only to people aged over age 15, and warned that it contained “medium level animated violence, medium level coarse language.”

On Friday, Clark advised parents to be on the alert for their children accessing the explicit scenes.

“Parents are strongly advised to exercise caution in allowing children continued access to the game,” he said – particularly if they have access to the Internet modification.

Two things wrong with this:
1. Does this mean that every R rated movie ought to be banned as well, because it contains some semblance of sex somewhere.
2. That last line… the word “children”… Why is it that the gaming industry is the only one that rates content from the perspective of children? This is an “M” rated game – it should never be in the hands of children to begin with. Just like an “R” rated movie never ought to be in the hands of children. To treat it as if it were in the possession of children is ridiculous.

Furthermore, and I shall never understand this: decapitating someone with a chainsaw is considered worse than sex? Oh dear. Finally: this content is not accessible in-game. If they ban GTA, they might as well ban all video games and movies out there, as one can always find a way to insert content that would turn otherwise innocent content (The Sims, Teletubbies) into some kind of sex orgy.

This blog is entitled “My inane life… in glorious details”, and bear with me as I make full use of the “inane” bit.

I am going into my third year of university, as a student of physical geography. Because my program is under the science faculty, my first year consisted of required “threshold science classes”, including Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics. These were all subjects that I faired rather poorly in High School.

My first year of university was no different – I passed both Chemistry classes by the skin of my teeth. I failed Calculus … twice. And despite my passing the first physics course, I failed the second one … twice. Needless to say, my average was the pits. Nevertheless, I succeeded very well in my Geography/Geology courses.

Then came first semester of year 2. If I failed math again, I would be kicked out of the faculty. I passed. With a B. And I passed everyother class with an equally good average [hey B is great for me!]. Physics had to wait for the 2nd semester though, as it was not offered the first time round. Second semester came. I passed the second math class with a B; and all my other grades were just as high. And hey: I even got an A!

All except for Physics. I had failed it a second time. But there was hope: I could take a supplemental exam, as I had garnered an “E” grade as opposed to “F” like the previous times. I dreaded this new exam. I had studied like crazy the month before the initial exam, written 20 pages of notes, bought a solutions manual, did all the problems I could see. But I still failed. So now there was this 2nd exam coming along, and I was worried.

I bought another physics textbook. It was cheap, coming in at under $30 CDN and contained hundreds of problems/solutions. “Schaum’s Outline to Physics for Science and Engineering”. I studied from it as well. Then came the test. When I left, I felt the same way as I did the previous two times I had written a physics test – so I was pretty worried.

Buuut, a few weeks later, I’ve gone back to check my mark.

I got a C. I passed. Its over. No more physics. Done.

BOOOOOOYEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I apologise for these last 2 posts being so self centered, but I’m just so relieved

Florida Attorney Jack Thompson, the same individual who claims that video games are murder training tools, has now shifted his focus onto EA and The Sims 2.

His allegations however are conflicting. He is blaming the mod community for a pre-existing in-game cheat in this very game that would allow for users to view nude Sims.

Thompson wrote: “The nudity placed there by the publisher/maker, Electronic Arts, is accessed by the use of a simple code that removes what is called ‘the blur’ which obscures the genital areas. In other words, the game was released to the public by the manufacturer knowing that the full frontal nudity was resident on the game and would be accessed by use of a simple code widely provided on the Internet.”

There are three things wrong with his allegations. First off: the mod community is not responsible for cheats that come included with a game. Second of all, that supposed cheat that would allow to see nude sims does not actually exist. Third of all, the texturing for the sims in the game does not include genetellia. That means if that anyone ever did manage to remove the blur, they would still not see any obscene body parts.

Clearly this is an example of just how ignorant Thompson is upon the issue. Unfortunately, the repercussions are dire. Thompson updated his letter, and stated “I urgently ask Electronic Arts to stop this modding activity by appropriate means, otherwise the “T” rating given the game by ESRB means, for all practical purposes, nothing and breaches trust with parents.”

First of all, it is simply ridiculous that a product be judged not on its own merit, but on the merits of what one user could unexpectidly modify that product to do. Anything can be made “obscene” by other individuals: think adding a “strip club” building to SimCity, or having planes with pornographic images painted on them in Flight Simulator 2004. As anything can be made obscene, does that mean that logically all games should be given an “AO” (Adults Only) ESRB rating off the bat? Even if the game is “Math Reader for Grade 1″?

Of course, it does not end there. Think of movies and shows: should we rate all movies “R”, even Bambi, because someone modified the DVD post-production to allow for obscene content to be included? Obviously, in any situation, the developper should not be responsible for the actions of others. It is common sense; something I find lacking in Jack Thompson.

Ultimately, the mod community is a great one. Selflessly giving away free content to users and allowing them to enjoy their video games further. Much of it appeases to all masses; only a small fraction of a fraction is obscene in nature. Furthermore, many mods go on to become full-fledged video games which bring in much revenue (Counter-Strike, Tactical Ops, Desert Combat [to BF2]). Having as a target this selflessly and well balanced community truly displays just how ignorant Jack Thompson is.

Jack Thompson stated in his letter that EA was “cooperating, gleefully, with the mod community to turn Sims 2 into a porn offering.”

There’s been other coverage on Jack Thompson before. GameRadio recently discussed letters that went back and forth between him and a non-anti-videogame advocate. Needless to say, Jack Thompson cares nothing about the games themselves, his accuracy, or creating any substantial argument to fuel his cause.

It will be interesting to see how the ESRB reacts to all of this.

Update: I replied to a few news articles on the issue.